Dundee should axe McCann now – ex Dark Blues captain believes

Former Dundee skipper Bobby Mann says it’s time there was a new voice at Dens Park by sacking manager Neil McCann.

Mann, who played over 80 times for the Dark Blues, appreciates everything the gaffer has done for the club but says the team is in dire need of an experienced hand at the helm after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat left them still pointless at the foot of the Premiership after six games.

He said: “I would change the manager.

“I just think the players maybe need a different voice around the place.

Former Dundee skipper Bobby Mann

“McCann has done great for the club over the years as a player and then again in the Dee-fiant season.

“But then, who do they get in?

“I’d like somebody with a bit of experience to take over – or you at least get a really experienced man to sit in the stands and use that voice of experience in an advisory role, someone to bounce ideas off.”

With their team 2-0 down and 15 minutes to go and heading for defeat, plenty of home fans were heading for the stands and that’s something Mann says might force the board into action.

He added: “I actually thought they did alright in the first half without really threatening too much. Then early in the second half they lose a goal and that finishes them.

“It’s an uphill struggle when they lose goals because there aren’t many goals in the team which is a massive problem.

“The fans can see that and that’s why a lot left when it went 2-0 because they couldn’t see Dundee getting back into it.

Hibs striker Florian Kamberi gives his team the lead on Saturday at Dens Park as the Edinburgh side ran out 3-0 winners.

“With crowds dwindling, maybe that’s what will make John Nelms and Tim Keyes make a decision on the manager if it starts hitting the club financially.

“I can only remember a couple of times where they came from behind to win – the United cup game early last season and the one at Hamilton with the 97th-minute goal.

“Sometimes they are just too easy to play against. It’s fine being a philosopher and getting your team to play good football but in this situation you need to be difficult to beat.

“They don’t draw enough games either. You look at the St Mirren game at the start of the season, one they should obviously have won but at least you don’t lose it.”

Mann continued: “They’ve got to be more difficult to beat, even if it means going 4-5-1 and changing the style of play completely.

“At the moment, teams are letting Dundee play and then hitting them on the break, knowing they’ll get joy.”

Mann does concede though the situation the team find themselves in looks dire, it will only take a couple of results to get them off the bottom.

“The situation isn’t looking good right now but it is only four points behind St Mirren and Motherwell,” he added.

“You look at St Mirren and there’s not a lot of goals in them either.

“I think maybe people saw Hamilton scoring a few and are getting worried.

“There will probably be four teams down there fighting it out and all of them will go through poor spells – I think Accies went 10, 11, 12 matches without winning last season and came out of it.

“You can get these runs but the main thing is you beat the other teams around you and they’ve got that up next against Hamilton.

“I think even a point this week would stop the losing run and give them something to build on.”